STAFF at Okeford Veterinary Centre in Okehampton were delighted to welcome back a memorable patient recently, as seven and a half-year-old lurcher Cary was named Braveheart of the Year for 2005. Back in November 2004, Cary was cared for at the vets after suffering a horrific skin tear. Each month, the practice names one of its pets which has behaved well while receiving major treatment as the ?Braveheart? for that month. In a vote by visitors to the surgery, Cary was chosen as the overall winner and her owners were recently presented with a special plaque. One morning while out on a walk with owners Barry and Jackie Anderson, of Okehampton, Cary ran past an old wooden gate post and cut herself on a rusty protruding nail. The extent of her injury was serious, a skin tear extending from her shoulder, 25cm towards her tail and 25cm towards her sternum. This created a very large flap of skin which had been folded back. The Andersons rushed Cary to Okeford where vet Will Gartell began emergency treatment. First the wound was cleaned up, removing all the bits of dirt and gravel before replacing the flap of skin. This operation involved around 80 stitches to close the wound and hold the skin in place. However, because the wound was so severe, a gap around some of the dead skin at the edge of the flap opened up. Cary then had to have a second operation, requiring another 30 stitches to close this smaller wound. Seven weeks after the accident, the stitches were taken out and Cary was back to running around as normal, with only a small scar remaining.